Oh my gosh! I know we all have those days but geez I was about to pull my hair out. Here is what all happened. First of all I have 4 kids, ages 7,6,3 and 5 months plus I babysit my neice that is almost 9 months. I'm pretty busy anyway. On Monday I had a consult for an 80th birthday the one they chose was out of the 1997 wilton yearbook. The instructions said that the cake was a 10" and a 7" stacked. Well they needed more servings than that so we decided on a 10" and an 8" that would give them what they needed. The daughter wanted to make sure the cake would still look like the picture because she loved the arches with the pansies. I said it would I couldn't feature one inch making that much difference. BIG MISTAKE.
I made baked on Tuesday, made all my royal icing pansies and drop flowers on Wednesday along with the chocolate arches even made 12 when I was only to need 10.
On Friday I was going to start in the afternoon after all the kids have had lunch well, for one thing it is between 97-100 degrees outside so the kids haven't been able t o play outside. So they were in rare form. Plus my 5 month old is teething. I was able to get started got my cake plate out filled the 2-layers leveled everything and iced my first teir. I kept thinking that something just didn't look right, I used my level again yep level. But when I would stand back that cake is not level at all. Finally I looked at my cake plate...it had buckled! There was a big wave in it. So I searched the house for another cake plate. Meanwhile I went ahead and filled and iced the 8". When DH got home I had hime help me move the 10" to a different plate. Then we stacked. It wouldn't work. The 8" was too close to the 10" once there was the shell borders I couldn't use the arches. I decided to bake a 6", DH went to the store and I started baking a 6". Those of you who decorate an unfrozen cake, I am amazed at how you do it. I didn't think I would ever get that done. Finally I was able to get it stacked and some pansies put on, when I started to put on the arches one by one they broke! I was so close to tears. I made some more royal icing and made some arches and cleaned up my mess. On Saturday morning I got up and started again with a fresh head. The royal icing arches went on fine and so did the rest of the flowers.
Then we had to deliver about 5 miles away and about 100 yards of fresh gravel road. But we made it and when I delivered I told them about the mistake on the sizes and gave the 8" free. They offered more than once to pay extra but I said no it was my mistake not theirs.
Just wanted to share this...even when we think it's impossible we can still make it through.

Missy

Sorry you had so much trouble , but it turned out really GREAT..... it is just beautiful, and I'm sure they loved it.......

You couldn't have delivered the cake from h** because I am getting ready to deliver that cake!!!! lol.

Your cake is beautiful. I'd give anything to beable to make pansies. From my brain to my hands I just don't get it.

You know you have a customer for life now. You did great customer service and all is well!!!!

Lu

Beautiful cake, wow. How do you do it with all those babies underfoot. I can hardly get anything done with two self-sufficient ones at home. Your an inspiration!

Your cake is truly beautiful and you did a fabulous job...and under so much stress!!!!!

I agree, you will have a devoted customer, because you gave a wonderful service!!! You should be so proud of your work. It looks beautiful!!

Wow! waht a pretty cake and you did that all with all those little ones to take care of. Kudos to you. I have enough on my hands with just one 11 year old!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations. Time now to relax for a few minutes!!!!!

Missy,
If you didnt have a disasterous cake story, you could never join us in the inner sanctum... that place from which you can look out and say, "yes I too have had the cake from HEdoublehockeysticks." And you have survived to tell about it! Welcome, welcome!
(nice job on the cake, too!)

You did a great job!

I truly admire all of you that have little ones and still manage to do cakes. I don't think I would even attempt a cake if If had 4 little ones running around. My hat's off to you!